accommodation-booking? SEA

1.
Posted bymadam(Budding Member 14 posts) 7y
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hi!

i will be in vietnam for dec, laos for 2 weeks in january, and north thai for last 2 weeks of january. do you think i will need to book ahead in any of these countries? i will be travelling solo and spending hopefully no more than $15 US a night for a guesthouse but want to find cheaper!

2.
Posted byErolGirl(Budding Member 82 posts) 7y
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I haven't actually been yet but i have been told by many to wait until arrival to find somewhere to stay as often you will get people at stations etc offering to take you to accomodation. Yes they will be working for commision (and some might seem pushy/dodgey as its not what were used to), but they will take you to the accomodation which saves you hunting around for the specific place you have booked, and you can check out the rooms before paying or confirming anything, so if its terrble you can find another place!!

Thats just the information I have gathered from people anyway and thats what we will be doing!! Maybe someone else who has been could confirm this

3.
Posted byDegolasse(Travel Guru 823 posts) 7y
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I've spent about 7 months in SEA spread over 4 different trips and I haven't once booked accommodation. Check in your guide book to see where the biggest concentration of hotels is in the town you are in. In most larger cities there will one street, or a few close streets with many hotels. If you get there you can just walk around and check out a few and pick your favorite. Even if you do get met by touts, I usually go with the one that is closest to many other hotels and check out theirs along with a few others. If you feel uncomfortable with this at first, especially for your first night off the plane, maybe book that one night in advance, even if it's a little more expensive. Once you're there you'll feel comfortable enough to walk around and check places out and will probably do so for the rest of your trip.

4.
Posted byvegasmike6(Travel Guru 3573 posts) 7y
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I never book anything ahead of time. I flew into HaNoi right before Tet and found a room under $10 in 10 minutes. There are so many places to stay in the lower price range that it is almost impossible to be totally shut out in any city you will visit in SEA. My blog has a few tips about saving money and covers my '08 trip from Nha Trang back to HCMC, on to Phnom Penh and over to Pattaya.

Send me a PM if you have questions on VN or Thailand.

5.
Posted bymadam(Budding Member 14 posts) 7y
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thank u all so much! 5 weeks to go!!

6.
Posted bytravelfrik(Inactive 22 posts) 7y
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hey m also traveling solo during that time. do u have any fixed route? any plan to attend this koh phangan new yr party?

7.
Posted byDaawgon(Travel Guru 2009 posts) 7y
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I'm booking a few places that I've been to already - esp. for the first night, it's nice to have that all settled so you can just relax after arrival. I've booked the Bich Duyen in Saigon and the Especen in Hanoi, but nothing else. If I arrive late at night, I like to have my hotel meet me - well worth it! The supply far exceeds the demand at the present time, but Dec is high season. Hostelworld is good for ideas (honest reviews) for cheaper places.

8.
Posted bymadam(Budding Member 14 posts) 7y
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i havnt decided yet whether to go to koh phangan and the beaches around there. i dont think i would b interested in the massive party scene. but it sounds interesting so when im there if i decide to go, ill go lol. i do have the first few weeks planned but most of january i will go with the flow. thanks daawagon, i will check out that site !

9.
Posted byNina S.(Budding Member 2 posts) 7y
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I live in Phuket, Thailand 7 years and I like to drive to Chiang Rai visit my older sister at Mae Sai, Northern close to Myanmar we like to check accomodation if you want to know we can share some information, some people like to stay cheap rate accomodation but there is not nice place...until you see by your eyes